LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2026, Page 264

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264

THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS­­—COMMISSION ON THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

resurrection (see Acts 1:21–22). Although it is used for other apostles in the New Testament (such as Paul
and others), the distinctiveness of the Twelve is maintained. 10
An important text that serves as testimony to Jesus moving beyond the 12 apostles to a larger number
of workers is Luke’s account of Jesus appointing the 72 and sending them out two by two (Luke 10:1–
11
20). Although the 12 apostles were a unique group of disciples, the sending out of the 72 suggests that
Jesus would establish an Office of the Holy Ministry that would continue to grow in the future beyond the
12 to other male disciples.
Lutherans have used the term “the apostolic ministry” regularly (and properly) as another title for the
Office of the Holy Ministry because that title stresses that it is a continuation of the one office established
in Jesus and instituted for the extension of His ministry in the church. 12 Sometimes the important
distinction between the time-bound office of apostle and the Office of the Holy Ministry as it continues to
exist in the church has been emphasized in ways that deny or fail to acknowledge a valid continuity
between the apostolic office and the Office of the Holy Ministry. It is clear from the New Testament,
however, that there is continuity between the office of apostle and those who follow in the apostolic office
through the divinely instituted activities of preaching, teaching and administering the Sacraments. As the
CTCR states in its 1981 report on the ministry: “The office of the public ministry is grounded in the
ministry of Christ and is an extension of the apostolate established by Him.” “As a continuation of the
ministry of Christ and as an extension of the apostolic ministry, the office of the public ministry is not
optional for the church.” 13
C. Prophet, Evangelist and Teacher
Ephesians 4:11 provides important testimony to the various titles used for the Office of the Holy
Ministry during the early decades of the Christian church: “Kai autos edōken tous men apostolous, tous
de prophētas, tous de euangelistas, tous de poimēnas kai didaskalous.” On the basis of Paul’s testimony
that Christ gave the church “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds/pastors and
teachers,” the offices of apostle and shepherd/pastor are sometimes understood as distinct and separate
from the offices of prophet, evangelist and teacher in the first-century church. This understanding is
reflected in the older New International Version that renders the verse, “It was he who gave some to be

An exception would be sectarian Christian groups that continue to use the title “apostle” for specific leaders to
express their unique authority (cf. the ranking of “apostles” as “first” in 1 Cor. 12:28).
Due to textual variants, there is some debate about whether Jesus sent out 72 or 70 disciples; for discussion of this
textual problem, see Arthur A. Just Jr., Luke 9:51–24:53 (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1997), 435–445.
Because “seventy-two” is the harder reading due to the probability of some harmonization of this account with
Moses choosing “seventy elders” (Num. 11:16–17, 25; Ex. 24:1, 9–14), the reading of “seventy-two” will be
followed here.
12
This emphasis on “apostolic ministry” should not be understood as espousing the need for “apostolic succession”
as argued in some churches. As the CTCR notes, “the pastoral ministry is apostolic in terms of what it teaches but
not in terms of an unbroken succession of ordaining bishops” (The Ministry, 26).
13
CTCR, The Ministry, 26, 27.
10
11

Acts 21:8 describes Philip as an “evangelist.” Acts 8 tells how Philip proclaimed Christ in Samaria,
bringing people (like the Ethiopian eunuch) to faith and baptizing them. “It seems clear from these
passages that Philip had a gift for bringing the Gospel to men who had not yet heard it. He does not
appear to have become a parish pastor, but went from place to place proclaiming Christ.” 16 In 2 Timothy
4:5, Paul tells Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” “In some sense, [Timothy]
could be called a ‘diocesan bishop,’ so far as his office is concerned. This is indicated by the instruction
about what should be done in the churches (1 Tim. 1:3ff.; 2), and the instructions about what kind of
persons should become bishops (chapter 3).” 17
D. Overseer
The fact that the title “overseer” (episkopos) is closely related to the title “shepherd” and “elder” is
visible especially in Acts 20:28, where Paul summons “the elders of the church [tous presbyterous tēs
ekklēsias]” (Acts 20:17) from Ephesus in order to exhort them about shepherding as the key function of
being an overseer: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has
made you overseers [episkopous], to shepherd [poimainein] the church of God, which he obtained with
his own blood.” The close relationship and overlap between the offices of “overseer” and “elder” in the
congregations established by Paul and his associates is evident in the similar qualifications given by Paul
in his pastoral epistles for “overseers” (1 Tim. 3:1–7) and for “elders” (Titus 1:5–9).
The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer [episkopēs], he desires a noble
task. Therefore an overseer [ton episkopon] must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, soberminded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle,
not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity
keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household,
how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up
with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by
outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. (1 Tim. 3:1–7)
This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders
[presbyterous] in every town as I directed you — if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one
wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For
an overseer [ton episkopon], as God’s steward [theou oikonomon], must be above reproach. He must
not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover
of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as

16
CTCR, The Ministry in Its Relation to the Christian Church (St. Louis: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod,
1973), 11. The use and citation of this 1973 document does not imply endorsement of its conclusions or
recommendations, such as the ordination of called male teachers.
17
CTCR, Ministry in Its Relation, 12.

2026 Convention Workbook

apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers” (NIV 1984).
It is more accurate, however, to conclude that Paul is specifying here the individuals whom Christ has
given to the church: “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers”
(ESV). 14 The syntax of “shepherds/pastors and teachers [tous de poimēnas kai didaskalous]” also
indicates that these two are not distinct offices. Apostles, prophets and teachers are also mentioned by
Paul in a sort of descending rank within the Office of the Holy Ministry when addressing the problem of
ecstatic speaking in tongues at Corinth: “And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second
prophets, third teachers” (1 Cor. 12:28). The phrase “God has appointed” affirms that these all belong to
the Office of the Holy Ministry, mandated and instituted by Jesus.
Although Thomas Winger understands Paul to be implying some distinction of offices with these five
titles in Ephesians, he concludes with this important observation: “At the same time, the usage of the five
terms in Eph 4:11 elsewhere in the NT demonstrates a certain overlap of categories; within the one
divinely instituted office of the ministry, certain men held only one, but others held many, of these
offices.” 15 This “overlap of categories” between apostle and shepherd/pastor, which has already been
discussed above, is also present here. Jesus is often addressed as “Teacher” or “Rabbi” by His disciples
(e.g., Mark 9:5, 38; 10:17, 35, 51). Two of the primary tasks that characterize Jesus’ earthly ministry are
teaching and preaching as noted with the participles didaskōn (“teaching”) and kēryssōn
(“proclaiming/preaching”) in the Gospels (e.g., Matt. 4:23; 9:35). Thus, the apostles are also teachers who
teach everything that Jesus taught (Matt. 28:19). Jesus is also identified explicitly as “a prophet,” showing
that His ministry has continuity with this established office in the history of Israel since Moses (e.g.,
Deut. 18:15; John 6:14). In light of the longtime office of prophet among the Israelites for the man chosen
by YHWH to proclaim the words that the prophet received from YHWH, it is not surprising that Paul
uses the term “prophet” in the first-century church as a title for those who follow Jesus in the prophetic
task of proclaiming the Word of God (Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 12:28).
Paul appears to be using these five titles in Ephesians 4:11 in an inclusive manner, therefore, for those
who were carrying out, in various unique ways, the one Office of the Holy Ministry in the first-century
church. At the heart of each title is the sacred task of preaching and teaching the Word of God, especially
the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to the Apostle Paul, the Office of the Holy Ministry is
manifested in the apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds/pastors and teachers whom Christ has given
to His church. We also use a variety of titles today for men holding the one Office of the Holy Ministry
based upon their specific call and pastoral vocation: senior pastors, associate pastors, visitation pastors,
missionaries, church planters, college and seminary professors, district presidents, and the like.

On the translation issue, see Winger, Ephesians, 449–458. There are also challenges with modern translations of
Ephesians 4:12; see Henry H. Hamann, “The Translation of Ephesians 4:12 — A Necessary Revision,” Concordia
Journal 14 (1988): 42–49, and Winger, Ephesians, 459.
15
Winger, Ephesians, 458.
14

taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who
contradict it. (Titus 1:5–9)
The qualifications listed in these two texts have much in common. Even the titles are so closely
related that Paul begins in Titus 1:5 with the title “elder” (presbyteros) and then switches to the title
“overseer” (episkopos) in Titus 1:7. Although we do not know whether overseers may have had more
and/or different responsibilities than elders, nevertheless both should be understood as titles for those who
hold the Office of the Holy Ministry. Therefore, an elder is also an overseer, who is further described here
as “God’s steward [theou oikonomos],” a descriptive term used elsewhere by Paul for those in the Office
of the Holy Ministry (“stewards [oikonomous] of the mysteries of God” in 1 Cor. 4:1). The title episkopos
(“overseer”) is sometimes translated as “bishop” and used by some denominations for pastors who have
oversight authority within that denomination. The understanding of episkopos as an office distinct from
and higher than the Office of the Holy Ministry, however, is not present in the New Testament.
E. Elder
Because “elder” (presbyteros) is a term used in many Christian congregations today for an elected
office held by laity who work closely with the pastor in the spiritual care of a congregation, its presence in
the New Testament as a title for the Office of the Holy Ministry can be a source of some confusion. The
close interrelationship and interchangeability between the titles “elder,” “apostle,” “shepherd” and
“overseer” is most clearly presented in 1 Peter 5:1–5. There the Apostle Peter clearly understands himself
to be an elder when he writes: “I exhort the elders [presbyterous] among you, as a fellow elder
[sympresbyteros]” (1 Peter 5:1, emphasis added). He then exhorts these elders to “shepherd [poimanate]
the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight [episkopountes], … being examples to the flock”
(1 Peter 5:2–3). The use of the participle episkopountes (“exercising oversight”) in this text demonstrates
the close relationship and overlap between an overseer and an elder in the understanding of the Apostle
Peter and the first-century Christians to whom he is writing. Both “overseers” and “elders” served in the
Office of the Holy Ministry and were responsible for shepherding Christ’s flock.
Furthermore, as noted above, Paul’s list of qualifications for “elders” in Titus 1:5–9 clearly identifies
an “elder” as one who was also an “overseer” (Titus 1:7). Paul also emphasizes that elders carry out the
primary task of the Office of the Holy Ministry: the teaching and proclaiming of God’s Word. “He must
hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine
and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9).
F. Deacon
One of the challenges related to the title “deacon” is that the semantic range of that term can include
everything from those who are simply “servants” in various household capacities, to rulers (Rom. 13:4),
to the Lord Jesus Himself (Rom. 15:8), and to those potentially occupying a specific ecclesial office of